This was an amazing weekend for Team Canada as we held our first official Training Session for WEG Declared Riders at Tuny Page’s Stillpoint Farm. Thank God and Tuny for brilliant facilities and the super covered arena which save the day today so riders could warm up and then do dress rehearsals in front of Gary Rockwell, Olympic O Judge.
Many of the riders and I have been working privately together for the last few weeks, but it was great to see those combinations which I had not yet seen. Also really fun was that Jacquie Brooks and Cheryl Meisner both held really wonderful welcome parties where great fun was had by all.

In the end we all worked very hard and with great focus on our objective- a medal in Kentucky. I truly think we have an awesome group of riders and horses and am looking forward to doing everything I can to help and support them all.
Thanks to Tuny Page, Jacquie, Cheryl, And all the boarders, trainers and supporters who did all they could to make this a stellar weekend!

Cheers!

RD

Meet Marci. She is quite a woman. Marci makes every negative, like cold weather, and snow, a positive.
She maintains a large stable, teaches young & old  Dressage while raising her son and keeping her family happy. I would say that is a full plate, but Marcie is involved with everything Dressage going on in Canada.
Even I benefit from knowing Marci. Our E-mail on Robert’s website, and my blog has made us good friends. I feel so lucky to have met Marci.

Canadian Olympic rider, Jacquie Brooks, held a lovely cocktail reception for the WEG declared riders and their supporters tonight on the eve of our first training session at Stillpoint Farm in Wellington. About 50 people enjoyed the food and sangria flowed like water. Very fun!
Tomorrow gets down to business though as 14 combinations show me how they can dance, in preparation for the first CDI next week. I am truly psyched by the talent I have seen so far as well as the feeling of camaraderie so evident with the Canadians. They are amazingly supportive of the programs I am putting in place and know I will give my all to help them to attain their goals, both as a team and individually.
We will work on basics tomorrow and preparing the Grand Prix so that Sunday they will be ready to warm up and perform their tests in front of Olympic Judge, Gary Rockwell, in the first of many scheduled dress rehersals I am using to ensure our riders and horses are highly prepared and confident as they begin the qualifying season.
I will report tomorrow night after our next party which will be held on John Risley’s fabulous boat in Palm Beach. This will also be the venue for our first major fundraiser in March and can hold up to 200 guests comfortably. Hard work and fun - the perfect mixture for 2 and 4 legged creatures alike.

Cheers!

RD

We are gearing up to hold the first Training Session for Canada’s World Equestrian Games declared combinations at Stillpoint Farm this weekend, January 16th and 17th. For that reason alone, I am hoping to move on from spending time in the trench warfare over NSAIDS and Rolkur, especially since I am going to need all my energy to work with FOURTEEN combinations both days. That’s right, I said 14!  At least until all the WEG declared riders have completed a minimum of 2 CDI’s, so that an objectively created log-list can be ascertained through equally objective criteria, it is only right that everyone who would like to take part, may.
So we will be up very early and work straight through the day until we are finished, whenever that might be, even if the sun is setting in the west. I am truly excited to see those horses and riders who, up until now, I have not met or seen working. I can already tell you that I’ve been blown away by several of the combinations and I know that I am going to be equally impressed by more of them who are coming, some along with their personal trainers, this weekend. Canada has strong, knowledgeable, and experienced riders and some absolutely world-class horses, and I intend to do every i and cross every t to ensure they are as prepared and confident as any squad can be as we progress toward next fall in Kentucky.

Cheers!

RD

I love Sunday. I read “The Lock Hornes”. It is a comic strip about an older couple, and much of it rings true. Not anything Herb & I would say or do, mind you.” Mind you” is a phrase that folks use in Canada. Like that can’t be true, though, mind you, such & such is a possibility.
 This Sunday started out quite lovely though the temperature was fairly low for South Florida. Sunday is also the day I water all my plants and flowers. Our living room was dressed with a beautiful new orchid plant from the Roberts, and three gorgeous flower arrangements delivered on the 31st. all for my birthday.. Herb had  given me a huge flower arrangement with a balloon floating above it.  I was watering outside when I noticed it was getting cooler and cooler. At ten as I went in I heard a strange booming sound. I checked our fuse box and soon realized it was not my problem, but the whole condominiums. Little did I know it was most of the villages west & north of us. To make a long story shorter. The notice we received.. one neighbor chatting with another was, it would be 5:30 P.M. before everything was restored. Well we lived in Canada for 4 years. We Dover’s could cope with a little cold weather. The house lost all it’s warmth. I retired to my bed and many blankets. No hot pad to make my feet thaw. I wished I had ordered those feet & hand, and so forth warmers. They seemed ridiculous when I read about them, and here I was wishing for them. 5:30 came and went. The next gossip get together set 10:30 as THE TIME. By 7 we were not only cold, and sitting in the dark, but both of us were hungry for a hot meal . We dressed by lantern light, and went to a local Chinese restaurant. Hot tea, and hot soup plus Happy Family, did the trick for us. On the way home we saw the FPL truck working on a building around the block from our Villa. They thought all the cables to the electricity had to be replaced by 10:30 or 11 !!!.. OK we thought. Every place is lit up but our block.
Our phone was ringing and our dear friends, Mario & Daisy insisted we come sleep over in their beautiful house. I knew  even if  the electric wasn’t turmed on until miidnight it would be better to stay home. They wouldn’t take no for an answer ,so Herb & I packed two paper bags with essentcials and drove over. Of course I forgot I no longer have a drivers licence. Don’t worry I have a date to get one on the 13th.. Wish me luck.
 The good news is we are rid of many Igunas as they can’t stand 3 days of cold weather. I don’t wish them ill, I just wish them gone as they eat all the flowering plants.
 So that was my day. Things are slowly warming up so if you were planning on coming down to Florida, all it’s delights will welcome you with open arms.
                                          Love,
                                  Robert’s Mom

Hooray for Driving fans! When I wrote my post, “A Can Of Worms”, I was truly hoping that my remarks might illicit a desire in equestrians to come to the defense of their discipline. And so far, Drivers have been the only ones to step up and tell me off. Bravo for them and what’s taking the rest of you so long? Come on Western Pleasure riders and Racing enthusiasts - bring it on!

Every horse sport has a few bad apples but, as I always say, most of us get up every day hoping to do the very best we can with what we know to achieve excellence in our sport. And we love our horses!

My point was and is that Dressage people need to do the same. We should stop focusing on negatives and see and embrace all the fabulous things our discipline has to offer. Boycotts and negative press and graffiti are undermining the fabric of Dressage sport and jeopardizing our future in the Olympic family. I don’t believe anyone wants that, eh?

Cheers!

RD

I am very excited that, following in the footsteps of Ashley Holzer, Belinda Trussell, and Diane Creech, all of whom have been near or well over 70%, Cheryl Meisner today scored 69.38% by Olympic judge, Gary Rockwell. I congratulate Cheryl and owner, John Risleys. Cheryl did a super job and the best thing is there are still many points to be made by her and Pagi. Along with this group, eight other WEG declared riders will be participating in the first Canadian east-coast training session at Tuny Page’s Stillpoint Farm next weekend. I already am convinced that there will be amazing depth of great combinations from which to build a top team for Kentucky.

Cheers!

RD

This came to me from Gary Vander Ploeg, one of Canada’s WEG declared riders, and I loved it so I thought I would share it with you all.  Enjoy!

Cold Is Relative In Toronto, Ontario

50 degrees (10C)  – Americans  turn on the heat. People in Toronto plant gardens.

40 degrees (4C) - Californians shiver uncontrollably. People in Toronto sunbathe.

35 degrees (2C) - Italian cars won’t start. People in Toronto drive with the windows down.

32 degrees (0C) - Distilled water freezes. Toronto water gets thicker.

20 degrees (-7C) – Atlanta, Georgians wear coats, gloves, and wool hats. People in Toronto throw on a T-shirt.

15 degrees (-9C) - Californians begin to evacuate the state. People in Toronto go swimming.

Zero degrees (-18C) - New York landlords finally turn up the heat. People in Toronto have the last cookout before it gets cold.

10 degrees below zero (-23C) - People in Jensen Beach, Florida cease to exist. People in Toronto lick flagpoles.

20 degrees below zero (-29C) - Californians fly away to Mexico. People in Toronto throw on a light jacket.

40 degrees below zero (-40C) - Hollywood disintegrates. People in Toronto rent videos.

60 degrees below zero (-51C) - Mt. St. Helens freezes. Toronto Girl Scouts begin selling cookies door to door.

80 degrees below zero (-62C) - Polar bears begin to evacuate the Arctic. Toronto Boy Scouts postpone “Winter Survival” classes until it gets cold enough.

100 degrees below zero (-73C) - Santa Claus abandons the North Pole. People in Toronto pull down their ear flaps.

173 degrees below zero (-114C) - Ethyl alcohol freezes. People in Toronto get frustrated when they can’t thaw their kegs.

297 degrees below zero (-183C) - Microbial life start to disappear. Toronto cows complain of farmers with cold hands.

460 degrees below zero (-273C) - All atomic motion stops. People in Toronto start saying “Cold ’nuff for ya?”

500 degrees below zero (-295C) - Hell freezes over. Toronto wins the World Series.

Dear Rhonda,

Why is it that your column does not come out on a regular schedule?

Lonely Reader,

Dear Lonely Reader;

Thank you very much for the question and the assumed compliment. Truth is, and as unbelievable as it sounds, I have become a Republican and my duties to the party have kept me from my loyal and needy readers.

Earlier this year I got a call from Sarah informing me that she would be stepping down as governor and asking me to go on tour with her. I was stunned that she was interested in my political views and elated to know that Rhonda would finally get a national platform, but it turns out she only wanted me as an opening act at her rallies. Apparently, there is no one like good ole Rhonda to whip a bunch of rednecks into a blaze of hate for the news cameras. Who knew it was all so staged? Even in middle age (the lower side of it), Rhonda keeps learning the ways of the world.

And why did I do it you ask? That’s right…money. There’s nothing more American than making a buck! I am not sure if my readers are aware, but my salary at doversworld.com didn’t even cover the monthly electric bill to run the laptop that I am writing this on now. With my new Republican money, I can afford to live the lifestyle for which I am about to become accustomed.

And the Palin’s and I have become pretty close. She’s not all bad. She’s a good mom and even lets me babysit for little Tripp (I think that’s his name). Whatever his little name is, he sure loves to play with Rhonda’s big tacky earrings. And thanks to Sarah, Rhonda is a card-carrying member of the NRA and I am packing “heat” in my fake Gucci bag (hey, just because I have money now doesn’t mean I am gonna pay $2500 for a bag that I can get on Canal Street for $85). I’m not one of those girls who forgets her roots…

Some of my more savvy readers may have caught my past tense in the above paragraph regarding my salary atdoversworld.com. I said it “was”. For my slower readers, that means it no longer “is”. Yes, this is my final column. Rhonda has a new road ahead of her and dare I say a new “cougar” relationship that takes a front seat in my life. I cannot divulge any names, but it would not be untrue to say that he may or may not be featured in Playgirl this month and may or may not be related to Sarah through a blood grandchild. You do the math…

I am eternally grateful to doversworld.com for slave-laboring me into the Republican Party and wish everyone a very happy and safe holiday season.

Best,

Rhonda

p.s. Although this is a goodbye, don’t be surprised if Rhonda comes back for guest columns now and again. Until then, I am off to Columbus to perform I AM WHO I AM by Gloria Gaynor to open another Palin speech. Apparently, NBC cameras are gonna be there, so the Palin camp asked me to perform in a beaded tube top.  God I love my job…

If you, my readers, are as upset as I am by the departure of Rhonda from our website, PLEASE WRITE IN to tell her that our lives just cannot go on without her sage advice and wisdom! Maybe she will change her mind

Well that most wonderful time of the year is past. I hope it was grand for all of you.
  It was for me, and that is why you haven’t heard form me lately.
 Al & Lynne, our Nevada City California son & his lovely wife, came to stay with us for 5 days. Al forgot to check his return ticket, could no longer use it, and they had to stay on until Wednesday to get a plane ride home.
Robert brought in a great dinner for us on the 30th. He coaxed me out of bed, and strange to tell that set me on the road to recovery. Thanks to him we were able to go out with Al & Lynne on New Years Eve. Dancing is their hobby. Lessons have made them experts in every category. Al even  danced with all the ladies at our table.. What a nice guy.
 My chemo treatments are every 21 days Yesterday was the14th. It came too soon. I don’t do much for the first 14 days. I just hang out and hope visitors come over to keep me company and get my mind on other things then how I feel.
The last week I try to go out with the girls, and do girlie things. Lunch and shop of course.
 Hearing form all of you cheers me up so please keep those e-mails coming. Each one brings a smile to my face, and joy to my heart. If those sentiments don’t get you nothing will.
                                   Love,
                            Robert’s Mom